Numbershot 55: DoubleSided
by Vile.EXE
Summary: Tokunosuke saves a girl from bullies, and they become friends. However, Tokunosuke can't escape a nagging feeling that there is something more to the girl. Throw in a Number, and things go crazy. TokunosukexOC, YumaxKotori, mentioned SharkxOC.
1. Chapter 1

**Vile: Well, this is the first of my Numbershots that I mentioned back in my other story. As you might have seen, the star this time is Tokunosuke.**

**Tokunosuke: *grins***

**Vile: This story starts off before, but transitions to after 39 and 13 means Love, which means that Yuma and Kotori will be together during the story. Feel free to squeal with joy, SkyShipping fans! ^^**

**Yuma and Kotori: *smile***

**Vile: Also, it introduces the girl mentioned as Hikaya from the other story, who is also a main character. But I might as well not keep you guys waiting.**

**Hikaya: Vile doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, any of its characters, or any of the game's cards. He does own any of his OCs, including me, and any cards he makes.**

**Vile: Thank you, Hikaya. Now then, on with the fic!**

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><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 1

Humming could be heard as Tokunosuke Omoteura walked through the streets of Heartland. The day was pleasant, and he was enjoying it. He let out a deep sigh. "Such nice weather." He said to no one in particular. "Almost makes one believe that there's nothing else to it, Ura. But I get the creeping suspicion that all is not right today. That could just be me, however. Oh well. If anything does happen, I'll be ready, Ura." Then, he heard a scream come from out of nowhere. "What was that?" Tokunosuke paid attention to where it came from and ran towards the source.

Upon reaching the area, he noticed four boys ganging up on someone. The person was a girl, about his height, with short blond hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a light purple t-shirt with white cuffs advertising Kodoa's Card Shop, jean shorts, and white shoes. "We know you've got good cards on you, girlie. Hand 'em over." One bully said.

"W-What are you talking about? I don't even Duel!" The girl cried.

One of them, who appeared to be the leader, stepped forward. "Don't lie to us. Your dad is Mr. Kodoa, owner of Kodoa Card Shop. How could you not have anything good on you?" His face darkened. "Listen, kid. We ain't afraid to hurt you. So cough up the cards… Now!" The girl merely backed up in fear.

Tokunosuke sighed irritably. Bullying other people for cards was the worst kind of bullying to him. It reminded him of his own experiences. _'Saving a girl from bullying… Man, this is cliché, Ura. But like heck I'm just gonna stand by and let them hurt her.'_ He thought. He stepped forward from his observation point. He cleared his throat loudly. "AHEM!"

The bullies turned to look at him. "What do you want, pee-wee?" One of them asked.

"Pee-wee. Real imaginative." Tokunosuke remarked dully. "Didn't your parents ever tell you to be nice to girls, Ura?"

The lead bully quirked an eyebrow. "Didn't YOUR mother tell you to stay out of other people's business, runt?"

Tokunosuke sighed. He was in no mood for games. "Look pal, if you're gonna mess with that girl just for cards, then you've just entered my bad list, Ura. But to be fair, let's go with this. You Duel me. I win, you and your cronies take off. You win, I'll let you do what you please, Ura."

The three cronies began snickering. "This kid thinks he can win against Dino." "What an idiot!"

"All right, twerp, you're on." The leader, apparently named Dino, told him. "I'll tell you this, though: no one's ever beaten me."

"We'll just see if you can keep that streak, Ura." Tokunosuke said plainly. "By the way, Tokunosuke's the name."

"Whatever." Dino said.

The blond girl was surprised that someone stuck up for her, but she was thankful nonetheless. _'Take him down, Tokunosuke!'_

"Duel Disk, set! D-Gazer, set, Ura!" Tokunosuke readied himself, as did Dino.

**"ESTABLISHING LINK BETWEEN A AND B."** The voice from the Duel System said, both of their D-Gazers along with Yuma's glowing. **"AR VISION, LINK ESTABLISHED."** The area around them began to warp into the augmented reality.

"DUEL!"

**Tokunosuke LP:4000**

**Dino LP:4000**

"First turn's mine. Draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke said, drawing his card. "I place a monster in facedown Defense Position, then place two Spells or Traps facedown. Turn end, Ura."

"That's all? Lame. My turn. Draw!" Dino drew his card. "Magic Card, activate. Foolish Burial! I can send a monster from my Deck to my Graveyard." The card he sent was Evoldar Cerato. "Now, Evoldo Odochelys in Defense Mode, Shoukan!" Dino's monster was a quadrupedal lizard-like monster with an orange top half, a purple bottom half partially covered by a light gray shell, a few spikes, beady eyes, and a visible DNA strand in its tail: the signature of the Evol series.

Evoldo Odochelys: Lv.2 FIRE Reptile ATK:500/DEF:1200

"And when EvolDO Odochelys is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon an EvolDAR monster from my hand, like Evoldar Ulcanodon!" This monster was a huge blue dinosaur monster, complete with the same DNA strand tail.

Evoldar Ulcanodon: Lv.4 FIRE Dinosaur ATK:1200/DEF:1000

"But that's not all. When Evoldar Ulcanodon is Special Summoned by the effect of an Evoldo monster, I can Summon another Evoldar monster from my Graveyard! So Evoldar Cerato, Special Shoukan!" Dino's first monster re-emerged by bashing through the ground. It was a raptor-like monster with aa yellow-orange body, black scales, and the DNA strand tail.

Evoldar Cerato: Lv.4 FIRE Dinosaur ATK:1900/DEF:1400

"Now for a real powerhouse! Evoldar Ulcanodon, Evoldar Cerato, Overlay!" Both Dinosaurs turned fully red and spiraled around each other in the air. A red spiral portal opened in front of Dino as both monsters flew in. "With these two monsters, the Overlay Network furthers the path of evolution! Xyz Shoukan! From Evoldo, to Evoldar, finally at Evolkaiser Ragia!" The monster emerged as a light blue dragon with six wings, red eyes, and the signature DNA strand tail. Its red Overlay Units circled it.

Evolkaiser Ragia: Rank 4 FIRE Dragon/Xyz ATK:2400/DEF:2000 2 Overlay Units

Tokunosuke smirked. "Trap Card, activate! Black Horn of Heaven! This card negates your Special Summon and destroys your monster on the spot!"

"You wish, twerp. Evolkaiser Ragia's effect activates! If you try to use any Magic or Trap Card, or try to Summon a monster outside of Flip Summoning, Ragia can use both its Overlay Units at once to negate and destroy it!" Ragia caught both of its Overlay Units in its claws, then unleashed a wave of fire by flapping its wings, obliterating Black Horn of Heaven.

Evolkaiser Ragia: 0 Overlay Units

Tokunosuke said nothing, but began giggling his signature creepy giggle. "What a baka-yaro."

"Who you calling baka-yaro, twerp?" Dino yelled angrily.

"You, for failing to see the trick I had planned! My other Trap Card activates, Ura! Hidden Mist!" Tokunosuke's other facedown flipped up. "There's a hidden side to everything, Dino. I laid Black Horn of Heaven knowing you would keep your monster safe from it, not caring about my other facedown, Ura. It will be your undoing! Hidden Mist shows your Evolkaiser the other side of things, bringing it to my side of the field, Ura!" A dark mist began blowing around Ragia, and an evil figure floated above, dropping strings onto it. Ragia roared and dissipated, reappearing on Tokunosuke's side of the field.

Dino growled. "You're gonna pay for that, runt! I place one card facedown. Turn end!"

"My turn! Draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke drew his card. "Flip Shoukan! Reveal yourself, Chew-Bone!" Tokunosuke's monster revealed itself to be one of his signatures, a mouse-shaped skeleton monster with red horns.

Chew-Bone: Lv.3 EARTH Zombie ATK:300/DEF:300

"Flip Effect, activate! When Chew-Bone is flipped face-up, three Chew-Bone Jr. are Summoned from my Deck to your field, Ura!" One of the bones on Chew-Bone's back shot off a total of three times, reforming each time, and transformed into three mini-versions of Chew-Bone, only with horns the same color as the rest of their bones, which landed on Dino's field saying "Chuu!"

Chew-Bone Jr. x 3: Lv.1 EARTH Zombie ATK:100/DEF:300

"Wait, so you're giving me your cards?" Dino asked.

"Not for long. Evolkaiser Ragia and Chew-Bone, attack two of the Chew-Bone Jr., Ura!" Evolkaiser unleashed a wave of fire that incinerated one Chew-Bone Jr., while Chew-Bone merely rammed another with its horns.

**Dino LP:1500**

"I place one card facedown. Turn end, Ura." Tokunosuke said calmly.

"Way to go, Tokunosuke!" The blond girl yelled without even realizing it. She quickly covered her mouth and blushed. Tokunosuke looked over at her with a tiny blush on his face, but looked back to the Duel.

"You're gonna pay for that, runt. My turn. Draw!" Dino drew his card. "Magic Card, activate! Enemy Controller! By Tributing my Evoldo Odochelys, I get back my Evolkaiser Ragia for one turn!" A video game controller appeared. "Up, down, left, right, B, A!" The commands entered into the controller, and it fired a beam at Ragia, forcing it to move back to Dino's field. "And since I got Ragia back, Hidden Mist goes BOOM!" The card did just that, and the mist cleared.

Tokunosuke then let out his giggle. "Again, you fail to read the hidden side of things! I wanted you to take Ragia back, Ura!"

"WHAT?"

"Trap Card, activate! Trojan Blast, Ura!" Tokunosuke's face-down flipped up. "If you move a monster from my field to yours, that monster is destroyed, and you lose Life Points equal to its Attack Points!" The card glowed purple, and light began shooting out from within Ragia's body. The blue dragon then exploded violently, knocking Dino backward onto his rear end.

**Tokunosuke LP:4000**

**Dino LP:0 – LOSER**

Tokunosuke's face appeared with the word WIN as a buzzer sounded, and the augmented reality vanished. Tokunosuke took his D-Gazer off his glasses and walked up to Dino. "That was a good Duel, Dino, but a deal's a deal. Get lost, Ura."

The other three bullies advanced on Tokunosuke. "And since when did you become boss, twerp?" "Yeah, we don't hold deals with someone like you." "Let's get him, boys!"

"Shut your beaks, guys." Dino said solemnly as he got up. "This kid actually beat me. That proves he's something. I doubt any of you would want your butt kicked by him." He walked over to his gang. "If he just wants us to leave, then let's leave. No sense in being idiots." Dino walked off without another word. The other bullies glared at Tokunosuke, who merely looked back at them impassively, then followed their leader.

Tokunosuke sighed. "I really don't get people like them." He said. He was about to check on the girl when he was suddenly glomped from behind.

"Arigatou, Tokunosuke!" The blond girl cried with relief, hugging him pretty tight. "You saved me! Thank you!"

"No problem… but you're kinda choking me, Ura…!" Tokunosuke managed to get out.

"Oh my gosh!" The girl said, quickly letting go of him. Tokunosuke panted to catch his breath. The girl bowed, blushing madly. "I am SO sorry!"

Tokunosuke held up a held. "Don't worry about it. Whew… Are you all right? Did they hurt you at all, Ura?"

The blond girl shook her head. "Mm-mmm. You got here just in time."

"Whew… that's good. You should get back home before something else happens, Ura."

The girl nodded. "Okay. I'm Hikaya. Hikaya Kodoa."

Tokunosuke smiled. "Tokunosuke Omoteura. Pleasure to meet you, Ura." He said, holding out his hand. Hikaya shook it with a smile. Tokunosuke began to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Hikaya called to him, making him turn around.

"What it is, Hikaya?" Tokunosuke asked.

"Would you mind stopping by my family's card shop tomorrow? I need to give you something for helping me."

Tokunosuke thought it over. While he really didn't need anything, it would be nice to accept a gift. "Okay. I'll see you then. See ya, Hikaya-chan, Ura!" Tokunouske ran off for home.

Hikaya smiled as she watched him run off. "Such a nice person…" Her face tinted again as she walked back to her own home.

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><p><strong>Vile: I think that turned out pretty well. A small Duel thrown in there helped it along.<strong>

**Shark: Man, Tokunosuke completely owned that guy.**

**Tokunosuke: *shrugs shoulders***

**Vile: Hey, what can I say? A Duelist that focuses on nabbing his opponent's monsters is prime material for me, and I'm not talking about the cards. ^^**

**Others: *laugh***

**Vile: This story has potential, so you guys might be seeing me again quite soon. Make sure to leave reviews and tell me what you think! See ya later!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Vile: Whew... this Numbershot is harder that I thought it would be. I need to think things through better.**

**Tokunosuke: Well, at least you're making some progress, Ura.**

**Vile: Yeah, I guess so. This story also doesn't seem as popular as my last one. Probably because YumaxKotori isn't the main pairing. Speaking of which, part of this chapter refers back to that story. A small touch I decided to add. ^^**

**Yuma: That might draw more readers!**

**Vile: Unfortunately, it's a small throwback. This story does focus on Tokunosuke and Hikaya, after all.**

**Tokunosuke: *grins***

**Vile: At any rate, let's get into this. Disclaimer's on the first page. Enjoy this chapter, and I hope it doesn't seem rushed!**

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><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 2

The next day, Tokunosuke chose to keep his appointment. He walked through the streets of Heartland, searching for Kodoa's Card Shop. "Hmm. Must not be a very well-known shop." Eventually he found it in an area he never went through before. "Odd place for a card shop, Ura." He mused. He shrugged his shoulders and walked through the door, the bell on the door ringing. He saw a 39-year-old man cleaning a counter. He looked around, but didn't see Hikaya anywhere.

The man looked up and saw Tokunosuke. "Ah, hello there. Can I help you with something?"

"I was told to come here by Hikaya Kodoa. She said she had something for me, Ura." The bespectacled boy explained. "Do you know where she is?"

"My daughter told you to come here?" The man asked. He thought for a bit, then he smiled. "Ah yes, you must be Tokunosuke. Hikaya told me about you. One moment." He turned his head to a door near the back. "Hikaya! Your friend Tokunosuke is here!"

Footsteps were heard from another part of the store, and the door opened to have the blond girl peek out. She looked around and saw Tokunosuke, smiling when she did. "You came, Tokunosuke-kun!" She ran right up to him and hugged him, causing the Flip Effect Duelist to blush. "Thanks for coming, and thanks again for saving me."

"Eh heh heh, it was nothing…" Tokunosuke breathed, still blushing slightly.

Hikaya let go of him. "I'm glad you came. I have something very special for you." She walked behind the counter next to her father and pulled out a small box. Opening it, she rummaged through and pulled out a card. "I got this card a while back. It's a one-of-a-kind card." She walked back to him and handed him the card. "**Underground Dragon**, the only Dragon-Type Flip Effect Monster. Many people have wanted it, but I wouldn't let anyone have it."

The Flip Effect Duelist stared at the card. "I… I can't take this, Ura…" He stammered. "I can't take it if it's so important to you."

"I want you to have it, Tokunosuke." Hikaya told him. "As a symbol of friendship."

Tokunosuke looked at the card again, and smiled. How could he refuse if she was so insistent? "Okay. I'll keep it. Doumo arigatou, Ura." Hikaya hugged him again briefly, Tokunosuke returning the hug this time. Mr. Kodoa smiled at the sight.

The next few days went by quickly. Tokunosuke and Hikaya continued to hang out after school when Tokunosuke wasn't with Yuma and the others. He learned that Hikaya actually did Duel, using a Deck that worked against facedown cards (which he found pretty dang convenient), only saying otherwise to try and get the bullies away from her. They had a couple of Duels, most of which Tokunosuke won. He displayed some of the card tricks he learned, impressing her quite easily. One day, however, things took a slightly odd turn.

Tokunosuke and Hikaya relaxed on a hill, watching the clouds overhead. Tokunosuke was laying on his back while Hikaya was sitting up, her knees under her chin. Tokunosuke pointed out a cloud that resembled Chew-Bone. However, something was nagging at him, and he kept glancing at Hikaya. He found her cute, her blond hair flowing in the gentle breeze. Tokunosuke blushed slightly, but that wasn't what bugged him. _'What is her hidden side? I know when a person is hiding something. And she is definitely hiding something, Ura.'_

Hikaya suddenly spoke. "Thinking about something, Toku-kun?"

Tokunosuke was shocked. "W-What are you talking about?"

"Your face says it. You're in thought." The blond girl explained. "I'm pretty good at reading facial expressions."

The bespectacled Duelist sighed. "Got me. I'll be simple. You're hiding something, Ura."

Hikaya's eyes widened? "What?"

"My experience in the ways of deception made me able to tell when someone is hiding something, which you are, Ura. What is it?" Tokunosuke told her. The two kids merely looked at each other, then Hikaya giggled. "What's so funny?"

"You are, Toku-kun. I don't hide things, silly." She told him. Tokunosuke tilted his head. "Keeping secrets can strain things between two people, so I don't keep secrets to keep tensions low. Whatcha see is whatcha get, Toku-kun!" She winked at him.

Tokunosuke smiled, blushing slightly at her wink. He looked back at the clouds, but couldn't shake that feeling.

Hikaya, however, felt like somewhat of a hypocrite. _'He's right. I am hiding something. But who wouldn't hide it if they felt like they liked someone?'_ The blond girl blushed slightly.

Neither of them was aware of a shadowed figure watching them. Piercing blue eyes gleamed as the figure observed their conversation. A low chuckle was heard as a sound was heard: that of cards shuffling.

Several more days passed. Tokunosuke saw Yuma in Kodoa's Card Shop looking for cards while he was there to get Hikaya a gift. Tokunosuke knew he was looking for something to get Kotori, so he had Kodoa-sama find a Structure Deck for him. Having just heard about Hikaya, Yuma decided to tease him about her, but Tokunosuke merely said that it was part of his hidden side. On his way home, though, he was stopped by Akari who demanded to know Yuma's location, which he gave. He and Hikaya then went to the pseudo-Duel Plaza in Heartland Square that day for some fun. They engaged in many fun Duels and had a real blast. They even noticed Yuma and Kotori Dueling Shark and another girl. What really surprised them, however, was when Kotori Summoned a powerful monster: a Number.

"Whoa… look at that, Toku-kun!" Hikaya said to him, looking over the monster known as Number 13: Devoted Empress Love.

"Ohhh… So Kotori had a hidden side to her power all along… this is interesting, Ura…" Tokunosuke mused.

Despite having seen a Number being Summoned by Kotori, the rest of the day went quite well. On their way home, Tokunosuke decided to ask Hikaya a question. "Hey, Hikaya-chan?"

"Yeah?" She asked.

"You wanna come with me to meet my friends tomorrow?" Tokunosuke asked. "I'm sure you'd fit in with us greatly, Ura."

Hikaya smiled. "Why didn't you say so before, Toku-kun? Of course I'd like to meet them! Any friend of yours should be a friend of mine."

Tokunosuke grinned. "Great! We'll meet up with them at school tomorrow, Ura!" Hikaya nodded.

Then, a ringing sound was heard from her pocket. Hikaya pulled her D-Gazer out from her pocket and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hikaya, I need you back here at the store." Mr. Kodoa told her. "The inventory is getting cluttered, and I need sorting it out."

"Okay, dad. I'll be there soon." The blond girl said before hanging up. "Sorry to have to leave like this, Toku-kun."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll see you tomorrow, Hikaya-chan, Ura." Tokunosuke told her. Hikaya gave him a usual hug before heading back to the card shop. Tokunosuke walked back to his house, looking forward to introducing her to Yuma and the others.

The shadowed figure was looking forward to it as well. He held out a card in Tokunosuke's direction, the blank front facing him. Darkness covered the card as it slowly morphed into a monster figure. The person chuckled darkly. "Tomorrow… show time begins…"

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><p><strong>Vile: Well, this should be interesting.<strong>

**Yuma: Who the heck was that?**

**Kotori: And what did he mean by "tomorrow, show time begins"?**

**Vile: Trust me, I'll explain in the later chapters. *chuckles evilly***

**Tokunosuke: Okay, now I'm getting creeped out.**

**Vile: Okay, I'll stop. ^^ If anyone reads this, please leave a review. I'll be grateful. Until next time, everyone!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Vile: Well, Chapter 3 is here. Things really start to get freaky in this one.**

**Yuma: I've got a bad feeling about that.**

**Tokunosuke: Me too.**

**Vile: Thankfully, my stories always work out in the end. ^^**

**Kotori: Yeah. thankfully. *squeezes Yuma's hand***

**Vile: *smiles* Well, anyway, let's get into this. Disclaimer's on the first page, so let's get going!**

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><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 3

The next morning came quickly. Tokunosuke took his usual route to school, ducking and dodging to remain hidden, but he wasn't so lucky this time around with staying out of sight.

"Ohayo, Toku-kun!" A voice rang out, startling him and making him fall over, blowing his cover. He got up and looked around, seeing Hikaya walking up to him.

"Hikaya-chan! You startled me, Ura!" Tokunosuke groaned.

Hikaya giggled. "Sorry. I saw you on the way, so I figured, why don't we walk together?"

Tokunosuke blushed slightly, but nodded, smiling. "Okay, sounds good to me." Tokunosuke walked alongside Hikaya on the last leg toward the school. Upon entering the building, Tokunosuke looked around for the others, eventually spotting them. Astral was hovering overhead, but Tokunosuke couldn't see him. Right off the bat, he smirked.

"What's so funny, Toku-kun?" Hikaya asked.

"I knew it would happen yesterday, Ura." Tokunosuke simply said. Hikaya was confused until Tokunosuke pointed to Yuma and Kotori, specifically the fact that they were holding hands. Whatever they were talking about must've been about it, as Kotori was blushing. Hikaya giggled at the sight. Both Duelists walked up to the group.

"So since Kotori has a Number now, she can see Astral just fine?" Takashi asked. Kotori nodded in response.

"And of all people, Shark has a girlfriend now?" Tetsuo asked.

"Yep. A Gishki user named Ariel. She's not a half-bad Duelist either." Yuma said coolly.

"Ohayo, everyone, Ura!" Tokunosuke called out.

Yuma noticed them and looked. "Ohayo, Tokunosuke!" He looked at the girl next to him. "Is that the Hikaya girl you mentioned yesterday?"

Tokunosuke nodded. "Yep. Hikaya Kodoa."

"Well, nice to finally meet you. Yuma's the name!" Yuma said, pointing to himself. He then motioned to the others, pointing to each one as he introduced them. "And these are Kotori, Tetsuo, Cathy a.k.a. Cat-chan, and our class chairman, Takashi."

"Nice to meet you all. Toku-kun's told me a lot about you guys." Hikaya said. "Mostly about how goofy Yuma can be." She giggled as a result of that, prompting the others to laugh as well. Yuma sweatdropped.

"Okay, okay, you guys had your laugh." Yuma said.

"Oh, come on, Yuma! You know that was funny!" Kotori told him, playfully pushing his arm. Unfortunately, she pushed a little too hard, knocking Yuma over. Thinking quickly (which is a shocker for Yuma), he grabbed Kotori's arm on the way down, pulling her down on top of him. This caused everyone to start laughing like crazy. Yuma and Kotori blushed at their position, but joined in the laughter.

"Watch out, everyone! The lovebirds are makin' a move on each other!" Tetsuo guffawed, turning up the laughter. The couple's blush magnified, and Kotori quickly got off of Yuma, their laughter becoming nervous.

"That's the best sight I'll have had all day, Ura!" Tokunosuke laughed.

Yuma suddenly grinned smugly. "Oh really, Tokunosuke? 'Cause I see a better sight." This made Tokunosuke stop laughing at look at him in confusion. Yuma pointed down to between him and Hikaya. Tokunosuke and Hikaya looked and saw that, for some reason, their hands were clasped and neither of them even knew it. Both the shorter Duelists blushed like mad and quickly let go of each other's hands.

"Uh…" Tokunosuke could not think of a word. Neither could Hikaya. While Yuma was snickering, Kotori had hearts in her eyes.

"Aww… we've got another couple among us!" She gushed.

"We're not together, Kotori!" Hikaya complained. _'I wish we were, though…'_ She thought. Then, the bell rang.

"Whew, saved by the bell, Ura. Let's get going!" Tokunosuke said, running off to his class. The others agreed and headed out as well.

Piercing blue eyes watched from darkness. "Hm hm hm hm…" He held up the previous card, darkness overflowing from it. "Go time…"

*Some Time Later*

The final bell of school rang, and Tokunosuke ran through the building to catch up with the others. Then, he heard something. "Hey, kid…"

He stopped in his tracks. "Who's there?"

"Relax, man. I'm right here." The voice said. From a nearby corridor, a 23-year-old man stepped out. He had brown hair so dark it was almost black, and was wearing sunglasses. "No need to be all crazy."

"Well… what do you want?" Tokunosuke asked.

"Just got something here for you." The person said. He pulled out a card from a card box. "It's one of a kind."

Tokunosuke felt a dark presence from the card, but something compelled him. As soon as he touched the card, darkness was emitted from it. The man let go of the card, leaving Tokunosuke to struggle with the darkness. "What… what is this…? Aaagh!"

The man simply chuckled evilly and walked away from the struggling boy. "Another card… successfully distributed. All in a day's work."

Tokunosuke fell to his knees as the darkness swirled around his body. "UWAAAAHHHH!" He screamed as his squinted in pain, a figure glowing on his forehead. The darkness suddenly stopped swirling, but continued to cover him. His eyes slowly opened in a lazy glare. "Uraaaaaaaa…"

*Meanwhile*

Yuma and the others waited impatiently by the school gate, Astral overhead, only being noticed by Yuma and Kotori. Tokunosuke and Hikaya were supposed to meet up with them by now. "What's takin' them so long?" Tetsuo asked, annoyed.

"Maybe one of them got lost." Cat-chan guessed.

"Or, quite possibly, their feelings went out of hand, and they are engaged in a make-out session in a closet somewhere." Takashi said as if he was giving a lecture, a finger pointed upward to emphasize it. This gave everyone a laugh. Then, they noticed Hikaya running up to them. "Well, there goes my theory."

"Hey Hikaya. Where's Toku at?" Yuma asked.

"I don't know. I looked around for him, but I couldn't find him anywhere." The blond girl answered. Out of nowhere, a scream was heard.

"Yuma! Kotori! Over there!" Astral piped up, pointing. They looked in that direction and saw a group of frightened students running away from the school. One of them, Taichi, tripped over his feet when he got near them.

"R-Run, guys!" He stuttered.

"What happened, Taichi-kun?" Kotori asked.

Taichi got to his feet, shaking. "It's T-T-Tokunosuke! He's gone mad!"

"Tokunosuke? What do you mean by "mad"?" Yuma asked him.

"He challenged me to a Duel… but then, this creepy dark aura came up around him. Then he Summoned this c-creepy d-d-dragon out of nowhere! When it attacked me, I felt like I was actually being hurt!"

"He did what?" Hikaya cried.

"G-Go see for yourself if you guys wanna get hurt! I'm outta here!" Taichi said before taking off for home.

Hikaya stood there, her eyes threatening to tear. _'Tokunosuke… no…'_

Yuma, Kotori, and Astral, however, thought differently. **"A dark aura… a mysterious dragon monster…"**

"Sounds like a Number's work." Yuma declared.

"A Number?" Takashi asked.

"A dark aura is almost a trademark of the Numbers. It has to be the reason!" Kotori said.

Yuma stepped forward. "Only one way to find out. Let's hurry, guys!" Yuma quickly ran toward the school, Kotori right behind him.

"Wait up, guys!" Hikaya called, running after them. Tetsuo, Takashi, and Cat-chan quickly followed suit.

*A Few Minutes Later*

The gang was looking up and down for him. "Tokunosuke!" "Toku-kun!" These calls were heard every few seconds, but they were getting nowhere.

Yuma was growing frustrated. "Astral, can't you pinpoint the Number's location?"

"**I can try."** The spirit replied. He concentrated his mind into looking for a Number. Suddenly, a signal appeared, seemingly directing him. **"This way." ** He said, pointing.

"Right! Follow me, guys! I think Astral's on to something!" Yuma called to the others as he followed Astral, the others following him. "Are you sure about this, Astral?"

"Positive. I sense the darkness from it." Astral replied. Then, an explosion was heard, making everyone pick up their speed. As they reached the Duel Fields on the school grounds, they saw the place vacated. No one in sight.

"Where is he…?" Hikaya breathed.

"Uraaaa… Uraaaa…!" A voice seemed to emanate from nowhere. Footsteps were heard behind them. Everyone turned and saw a panting Tokunosuke, darkness swirling around him, his eyes in a lazy glare. "Uraaaaa... Uraaaa...

"Tokunosuke…" Hikaya said sadly. "What happened to you…?"

"My eyes have been opened, Ura…" The boy said in a low tone. "You all called yourself my friends, Ura… but it was a mere trick, Ura! You were all hidden enemies of mine, Ura!"

"Can you hear yourself, Tokunosuke? We ARE your friends! We would never think of doing anything bad to you!" Yuma yelled.

"The linguistics of a traitor, Ura…" Tokunosuke moaned. "They are words I cannot believe, Ura." His head moved to Hikaya. "And you, Ura… I grew to care about you, Ura… and you were the one planning to hurt me the most, Ura."

"That's n-not true, Toku-kun!" Hikaya cried.

"Then why did you falsely say that you hide nothing when you clearly hide something, Ura? You cannot fool me like that, Ura!" Hikaya had no response. She couldn't just outright tell him that she liked him… could she?

"Enough of this, Tokunosuke!" Yuma yelled. "I'll prove that you're being led on by Dueling you!"

Tokunosuke growled. "You choose to fight me, Ura? That is proof that you are my enemy, Ura! I'll put you in your place for plotting against me, Ura!" Then, a glow emanated from him. There, in gray on Tokunosuke's forehead, was a Number: "55."

"Numbers! Yuma was right!" Cat-chan cried.

"Let's go!" Yuma yelled. "Duel Disk, set! D-Gazer, set!" Tokunosuke readied his equipment as well.

"**ESTABLISHING LINK BETWEEN A AND B."** The Duel System's voice stated, the Duelists' D-Gazers as well as those of the gang glowing. **"AR VISION, LINK ESTABLISHED."** The area warped into the Augmented Reality.

The brown-black-haired man stood on a hill, out of sight of the others. His glasses were off, showing off his piercing blue eyes, and he was watching the Duel through his own D-Gazer. He smiled evilly. "Okay, Number 55… time to do your job."

"DUEL!"

* * *

><p><strong>Tokunosuke: What was all that about, Ura?<strong>

**Vile: Just part of the plot, Tokunosuke. Can't be a Numbershot without a Number!**

**Takashi: I noticed that Tokunosuke's "Uras" have increased in frequency.**

**Vile: That's the Number's doing. Since Tokunosuke is calling them traitors, and "Ura" is short for "Uragiri" (betrayal), it makes sense.**

**Yuma: I thought Tokunosuke was the star of this! How come he's possessed?**

**Vile: In due time, Yuma. I'm moving into college this Thursday, so I have no idea if I'll get the next chapter up quickly. Leave some reviews anyway, and I'll try my best! See ya later!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Vile: Well, I gotta be honest. This kind of thing isn't getting any easier. The ideas are slowing down.**

**Shark: Man, that sucks. The story's getting good.**

**Vile: I know. But I'm not going to give up. I don't give up on stories, no matter how few and far between updates are.**

**Yuma: That's the spirit! *thumbs-up***

**Vile: *smiles* All right, let's get on with this. Disclaimer's on the first page, and enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 4

**Yuma LP:4000**

**Tokunosuke LP:4000**

"The first move is mine, Ura. Draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke growled, drawing his card. "One monster in face-down Defense Mode, Ura. Two other facedowns, Ura. Turn end, Ura!"

'_He hasn't changed his tactics. I've gotta be careful.'_ Yuma thought. "My turn. Draw!" He drew his card. "Yes! By lowering his Attack Points by 500, I can bring this guy out! Dododo Warrior in Attack Mode, Shoukan!" Yuma's monster appeared as a red-and-yellow viking warrior with a shield and axe.

Dododo Warrior: Lv.6 EARTH Warrior ATK:1800(due to effect)/DEF:900

"Dododo Warrior, attack that face-down monster!" Yuma commanded. The large warrior charged forward and swung its axe down on the face-down monster, which turned out to be Man-Eater Bug. The insect exploded, its Flip Effect not activating due to Dododo Warrior negating card effects during the Damage Step.

"With the Damage Step over, Trap Card, activate, Ura. **Cover Claim**, Ura! If a Flip Effect Monster flips up this turn, and its effect doesn't activate, I can Summon another Flip Effect Monster from my Deck in face-down Defense Mode, Ura. The only problem is, the first time it flips up, its effect can't activate, Ura." Another face-down monster appeared in the place of Man-Eater Bug.

"Another Flip? What's he planning? I place one card face-down and end my turn." Yuma said, his own face-down appearing.

"My turn, draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke drew his card. "First, Magic Card, activate, Ura. Dododo Warrior is equipped with **Evil Spear**, Ura!" Dododo Warrior's axe morphed into a black spear. "With this, Dododo Warrior gains 400 Attack Points, but its effects are negated, Ura."

Dododo Warrior ATK:2700(500 regained due to effect negation)

"Huh? You gave him Attack Points?" Yuma asked.

"I have my reasons, you traitor, Ura." Tokunosuke growled. "Now, Chew-Bone, reveal yourself, Ura!" His signature skeleton monster revealed itself. "But now, Trap Card, activate, Ura! **Blown Cover**, Ura! Since a Flip Effect Monster flipped up but its effect didn't activate, I can Summon two copies of the same monster from my Deck, Ura! So I Summon two Chew-Bones, Ura!" Two more of the skeleton monsters took the field.

Chew-Bone x 3: Lv.3 EARTH Zombie ATK:300/DEF:300

"Three Level 3 monsters? This isn't good!" Yuma cried.

Tokunosuke let out a growl, darkness swirling around him. "Time to teach you traitors a lesson, Ura! My three Chew-Bones, Overlay, Ura!" The three skeletons became fully orange and shot into the sky, spiraling around each other. A galaxy portal opened in front of him as all three monsters flew into it.

"Here it comes, Yuma!" Astral warned.

"With these three monsters, I construct the Overlay Network, Ura!" Tokunosuke yelled. "Xyz Shoukan, Ura! It will crush you from the depths of its cover… Arawareyo, Nanbazu Gojuugo (Come forth, Number 55)! Doruragon, URA!"

The number "55" formed and flashed in gray, and the sealed form of the Number arose as a huge dark purple-colored egg blotched with rust-colored spots and covered with bones. Suddenly, the egg rumbled, cracked, and shattered, the bones around it flying off. The egg fragments reconfigured around themselves, forming a clawed quadrupedal body, a long tail with spikes, and a medium-length neck with a head. The figure then turned completely white, and the bones began to attach to the form. The figure regained color, being scaly and rust-colored, with dark purple claws, back spikes, tail spikes, and neck detail. The bones had formed a rib cage design around the stomach, extending around the back. On the feet, bones covered its claws, making a second set. On its back, bones configured to look like wings, only with no webbing. The tail's tip was covered with bones forming four spikes. The bones continued extended up the neck, where a gray "55" was located right below the head. The dragon's head, which sported vicious green eyes, was equipped with a bony helmet before letting out a loud roar, its wings folding behind it. Its purple Overlay Units circled its head.

**Number 55: Doruragon: Rank 3 DARK Dragon/Xyz ATK:2600/DEF:0 3 Overlay Units**

"Eeegh! Look at that thing!" Takashi cried, slightly scared.

"That must be the dragon Taichi was talking about!" Kotori remarked.

"URAAAA!" Tounosuke yelled, the 55 on his forehead glowing a dismal gray. "Now… you will pay the price for leading me on, Ura!"

"Wake up, Tokunosuke!" Yuma yelled. "That dragon is controlling you!"

"Silence, Ura! I no longer believe you, Ura… So it's time I got down to business, Ura." The bespectacled Duelist droned. "Doruragon's special ability activates, Ura. When it is Xyz Summoned, it is automatically switched into face-down Defense Mode, Ura." The rust-colored dragon knelt down and curled up before transforming into a face-down card.

"Huh? This is one weird Number!" Yuma said.

"It works for what I need it for, Ura." Tokunosuke groaned. "Next, Magic Card, activate, Ura. The Dark Door, Ura! With this, both of us are only allowed to attack with one monster per turn, Ura. I place one more card face-down, Ura. Turn end, Ura!"

"My turn. Draw!" Yuma drew his card. Being wary of Tokunsouke's plans, Yuma had to be careful. With Dark Door, he only had one attack per turn. He looked at his hand and saw a good card. "How about this? Baribari Mage in Attack Mode, Shoukan!" Lightning shot down from seemingly nowhere, forming into a humanoid monster dressed in yellow and blue mage robes, holding a staff with a lightning bolt on the end.

**Baribari Mage: Lv.4 LIGHT Thunder ATK:1400/DEF:1400**

"When Baribari Mage attacks, Magic and Trap Cards can't be activated until the end of the Damage Step! And since Doruragon has 0 Defense Points, it's easy pickin's! Baribari Mage, attack Number 55: Doruragon!" Mage's staff began to crackle, then he fired a lightning bolt from it directly at the face-down, which flipped up into the dragon.

"Doruragon's effect activates, Ura!" Tokunosuke called out.

"Huh?"

"If Doruragon is flipped face-up as a result of an attack, the attack is negated, Ura." The dragon moved its tail in front of itself, absorbing the lightning and conducting it through its claws into the earth. "And as an added hurt to traitors like you, you take 1000 points of damage, Ura!" The dragon's head reared back and exhaled a burst of rust-colored fire, knocking Yuma backwards and almost knocking him down.

**Yuma LP:3000**

"Yuma!" Kotori cried.

"Ngh, I'm all right!" Yuma groaned. "This dragon's gonna be one tough nut to crack! I place one more card face-down. Turn end!"

"My turn, draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke drew his card. "I activate Doruragon's effect, Ura. By using an Overlay Unit, Doruragon is flipped back into face-down Defense Position, Ura." The dragon chomped one of its Overlay Units before curling back up and changing into a card.

**Number 55: Doruragon: 2 Overlay Units**

"I place one card facedown, Ura. Turn end, Ura."

"My turn. Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "If I attack his dragon, I get hit when it flips up. Dododo Warrior can't negate its effect thanks to Evil Spear. What do I do?"

"Check your hand, Yuma." Astral told him. Yuma looked at his hand and saw a combo that would help him big time.

"Of course! Good plan, Astral!" Yuma said. Astral smirked. Tokunosuke raised an eyebrow. "If I can't flip it up by an attack, I'll do it like this! Magic Card, activate! Flip Flop! This switches the battle position of one monster on the field, like Number 55: Doruragon!" The card shot out a light beam that flipped the dragon up. Tokunosuke growled. "Next, Gagaga Magician, Shoukan!" Yuma's signature Main Deck monster took the field.

Gagaga Magician: Lv.4 DARK Spellcaster ATK:1500/DEF:1000

"Okay, time for action! I activate Gagaga Magician's special ability, changing his Level to 5!" Four lights on Magician's belt lit up, then a fifth light lit up.

Gagaga Magician: Lv.5

"Next, Trap Card, activate! Minaturize! By choosing one monster on the field with 1000 or more original Attack Points, it loses 1000 Attack Points and one Level!"

"My monster has no Level, Ura. Miniaturize won't work on Doruragon, Ura." Tokunosuke said plainly.

Yuma smirked. "I knew that. I wasn't planning on using it on your monsters. I'm using it on Dododo Warrior!" The Viking suddenly shrank to a smaller size.

Dododo Warrior: Lv.5 ATK:1700

"What are you thinking, Ura?" Tokunosuke growled.

"It's time to kattobingu! Gagaga Magician, Dododo Warrior, Overlay!" Magician turned fully purple while Warrior turned fully orange, and both monsters shot into the air and spiraled around each other. A galaxy portal opened in front of him as both monsters entered the portal. "These two monsters will burn the way to the Overlay Network! Xyz Shoukan! Arawareyo, Nanbazu Rokujuuichi (Come forth, Number 61)! Volcasaurus!"

The number "61" formed and flashed in yellow as the monster's sealed form arose. The lava sphere erupted and formed into the massive dinosaur, its number glowing on its left chest spike as its red Overlay Units circled it.

Number 61: Volcasaurus: Rank 5 FIRE Dinosaur/Xyz ATK:2500/DEF:1000 2 Overlay Units

"All right, Yuma! Show him what's what!" Tetsuo said.

"You got it! I activate Volcasaurus's effect! By consuming an Overlay Unit, Volcasaurus can blast one of your monsters to pieces, and you get hit for damage equal to your monster's Attack Points!" Volcasaurus chomped one of its Overlay Units. "Mag Max!" The dino's chest spikes opened and fired out streams of flames, incinerating the dragon.

"Urarrrgh! Curse you, Ura!" Tokunosuke growled as the flames hit him as well.

**Tokunosuke LP:1500**

Number 61: Volcasaurus: 1 Overlay Unit

"Nice one, Yuma! Now get Tokunosuke back!" Kotori cheered.

"You heard the lady, Volcasaurus! Attack Tokunosuke directly!" Yuma declared. Volcasaurus reared back its head for an attack, but…

"I don't think so, traitor, Ura. Trap Card, activate, Ura!" Tokunosuke called out. "**Double Galaxy**, Ura! If you attack me directly, this card destroys your monster!" A swirling galaxy opened up beneath Volcasaurus. The dinosaur roared in pain as dark blue lightning crackled around it, causing it to explode violently. "And there's more, Ura. If the monster I destroyed was an Xyz Monster, I can Special Summon an Xyz Monster from my Graveyard with any Xyz Materials that haven't been used, Ura! Number 55: Doruragon, return to the field, Ura!" From a second galaxy portal, the rust-colored dragon re-appeared, two of its Overlay Units circling it. Then, by its effect, it curled up and became a card.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Yuma cried.

"With The Dark Door active, you cannot attack again, Ura." Tokunosuke clarified.

Yuma growled. "I place another card facedown. Turn end."

"My turn. Draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke drew his card. "With no suitable cards in my hand, turn end, Ura."

"Then it's my turn. Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "I can't attack that thing because of its effect. Turn end!"

"Draw, Ura!" Tokunosuke said. "Magic Card, activate, Ura! Book of Taiyou, Ura! This flips one facedown monster on the field into face-up Attack Mode, Ura! Doruragon, reveal yourself, Ura!" The facedown on his field flipped up into the rust-colored dragon, which roared. The 55 on Tokunosuke's forehead glowed brighter, and his eyes glowed red. "Time to take you down, Ura! Doruragon, attack Baribari Mage, Ura! Corrosion Stream, Ura!" The dragon's head reared back before lurching forward and exhaling a nasty gust of breath. The attack washed over Baribari Mage, causing it to turn to stone and crumble. Parts of the debris nailed Yuma, knocking him back.

**Yuma LP:1800**

"Yuma!" Hikaya yelled. "Toku-kun, please stop this! He's your friend!"

"Friend? I don't know what a friend is anymore, Ura!" Tokunosuke growled. "I've gone through nothing but betrayal! How could I know what a friend is, Ura?"

Yuma growled at what the Number was making him say, but he noticed something: his "Uras" were slowing down. That didn't happen when Tokunosuke talked to him! _'Is Hikaya getting through to him?'_ He wondered.

Tokunosuke looked back to the Duel. "Now to finish you, Ura. Magic Card, activate, Ura! **Banished Back Attack**, Ura! By removing a monster in my hand from play, I can damage you for that monster's Attack Points, Ura! However, if I have no monsters in my hand, or I choose not to remove one, I take 1000 damage instead, Ura." He held up the only card in his hand and began to look at it. "Good thing I've got one right here…" He stopped and let out a gasp that sounded like one of his "Uras." His eyes widened, and his hand began to visibly shake.

Yuma and Hikaya looked at him in disbelief and concern. "Tokunosuke…?"

_'No… not this card…'_

* * *

><p>Author-Made Cards<p>

Baribari Mage  
>Level 4 LIGHT Thunder<br>ATK:1400/DEF:1400  
>If this card attacks, Spell and Trap Cards cannot be activated until the end of the Damage Step.<p>

Number 55: Doruragon  
>Rank 3 DARK DragonXyz  
>ATK:2600DEF:0  
>When this card is Xyz Summoned, flip it into face-down Defense Position. This card cannot be Flip Summoned. If this card is flipped face-up as a result of an attack, destroy the attacking monster and inflict 1000 damage to your opponent. If this card is flipped face-up due to a card effect, switch this card into Attack Position. Once per turn, you can detach one Xyz Material from this card to flip this card into face-down Defense Position.<p>

Evil Spear  
>Equip Spell Card<br>The equipped monster gains 400 ATK, but its effects are negated.

Banished Back Attack  
>Normal Spell Card<br>You can remove 1 monster in your hand from play to inflict damage to your opponent equal to the removed monster's ATK. If you have no monsters in your hand when this card is activated, or if you choose not to remove a monster from play, you take 1000 damage.

Cover Claim  
>Normal Trap Card<br>If a Flip Effect Monster you control is flipped face-up, but its effect is negated/does not activate, Special Summon 1 Flip Effect Monster from your Deck in face-down Defense Position. If the Summoned monster is flipped face-up, its effect does not activate.

Blown Cover  
>Normal Trap Card<br>If a Flip Effect Monster you control is flipped face-up, but its effect is negated/does not activate, Special Summon up to 2 monsters with the same name as the flipped monster from your hand or Deck.

Double Galaxy  
>Normal Trap Card<br>If your opponent attacks you directly, destroy the attacking monster. If the destroyed monster was an Xyz Monster, Special Summon 1 Xyz Monster from your Graveyard in face-up Attack Position. If the Summoned monster had any Xyz Materials when it was sent to the Graveyard, and those Xyz Materials are in the Graveyard, attach them to that monster.

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><p><strong>Kotori: That card... what is that card? Why did Tokunosuke stop?<strong>

**Vile: That will be revealed in the next chapter. Oh, and one thing. After I finish this, I'll be merging the chapters into one in order to make them true Number"shots."**

**Takashi: That would make them easier to organize. Perhaps a collection will be in order sometime?**

**Vile: I could do that. But that's a plan for another time. Leave some reviews if you still read this story, and I'll try to get back to you all ASAP! See ya!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Vile: Wow, I surprised myself. I got this out pretty dang quick.**

**Cathy: *smiles* Well, that's good. How many more chapters after this one, nya?**

**Vile: After this, one. Then I can start another story.**

**Astral: Then let the next chapter of this story commence.**

**Vile: Check, Astral. Disclaimer's on the first page. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 5

The scene was surveyed by another figure in the darkness. Unlike the man, this figure, more around 15, was watching with a scowl. "Not another one…" His voice growled. His hand began to glow an eerie dark purple.

Tokunosuke's eyes were trained on the only card in his hand. His voice began to tremble. "Underground… Dragon…" The Dragon-type Flip monster had 1800 Attack Points: just enough to take Yuma down to zero. But the card itself…

'_Stop stalling. Remove it!' _A voice spoke in his head, obviously Number 55. Tokunosuke looked back to the battle.

"I remove… no card." Tokunosuke said plainly. However, as a result, an energy wave from the Magic Card shot out and hit him dead-on, causing him to scream loudly.

**Tokunosuke LP:500**

"What the? Why'd he do that?" Cat-chan asked.

Tokunosuke slowly got to his feet, panting heavily. He slowly looked up at Yuma. The 55 on his head was gone, and his eyes appeared normal. "Yuma-kun…!"

"Tokunosuke?" Yuma asked.

"Yuma-kun… take this, Ura!" Tokunosuke flung his last card at Yuma, who caught it and saw that it was Underground Dragon. "Use it… and get this thing out of me! URAAAH!" The dark aura swirled around Tokunosuke again as he gripped his head in pain, squinting his eyes shut.

"Tokunosuke!" Hikaya cried.

Tokunosuke stopped gripping his head and glared at Yuma, the 55 on his head glowing brighter. His voice became dark. "Tokunosuke is gone now, Ura… I'll finish you off myself, Ura. Turn end, Ura."

"Tokunosuke…" Yuma growled. "My turn! Draw!" He drew his card. The card he drew was just what he needed. "Kattobingu daze, ore! Underground Dragon, Shoukan!" The ground beneath him began to rumble, and a small jungle green bipedal dragon crawled out from out a small chasm created.

**Underground Dragon: Lv.4 EARTH Dragon ATK:1800/DEF:0**

"Since I control a Level 4 monster, I can Summon this card! Pyubyu Dragon, Shoukan!" A blue blur began zipping around in the air, and then it landed, revealing itself to be a small blue dragon with a streamlined body and wings.

**Pyubyu Dragon: Lv.4 WIND Dragon ATK:1200/DEF:300**

"Now, Underground Dragon, Pyubyu Dragon, Overlay!" Both dragons turned fully colored, one orange, one green, as they shot into the air. A galaxy portal opened in front of Yuma as both monsters sailed into it. "I construct an Overlay Network with these two monsters! Xyz Shoukan! Come forth, Number 39! Aspiring Emperor Hope!"

The number "39" formed and flashed in red, and Hope sealed form aside and changed shape, eventually becoming the monster and letting out a cry of "HOPE!", its Overlay Units circling it.

Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope: Rank 4 LIGHT Warrior ATK:2500/DEF:2000 2 Overlay Units

"Hope! All right!" Cat-chan cried.

"Take it home, Yuma!" Tetsuo called out.

Tokunosuke, however, was just staring at Hope. "Aspiring… Emperor… Hope…" He moaned, no "Uras" in his speech. Then, he began to scream loudly as the darkness began swirling.

"Tokunosuke!" Yuma called.

"Yuma-kun, hurry!" Tokunosuke struggled to say. "Get rid of Doruragon… before I'm gone for good, Ura!"

"**Do it, Yuma!"** Astral told him.

Yuma nodded. "Magic Card, activate! Blustering Winds! This gives one of my monsters 1000 Attack Points until my next Standby Phase!" Wind began to swirl around Hope.

Number 39: Hope ATK:3500

"Hope, attack Doruragon! Hope Blade Slash!" The warrior brandished his blade and flew toward the rust-colored dragon, slicing it down the middle. The dragon roared in pain as it crackled and exploded, the resulting shockwave knocking Tokunosuke backwards.

"URAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

**Yuma LP:1800 – WIN**

**Tokunosuke LP:0 – LOSE**

The augmented reality faded from around them. Kotori, Tetsuo, Takashi, and Cathy all cheered and ran to Yuma. Yuma did a kattobingu for his victory before being on the receiving end of Kotori's loving embrace. Everyone celebrated for a few seconds, but then Yuma remembered. "Tokunosuke!" He and the rest ran to Tokunosuke's side. Hikaya was already there, knelt down near him. Astral prepared to grab the Number from his body, but Tokunosuke groaned slightly, then quickly woke up and rose. His eyes no longer had the lazy glare, and the 55 was gone.

"**He rose?" **Astral wondered. **"Not good. I can't retrieve the Number like this."**

The man who gave Tokunosuke his Number scowled at Yuma. "Curses… That boy will be problematic." He walked away unceremoniously.

The boy who was watching held up his glowing hand. "It's time." He said as he leapt into a tree and began leaping towards them.

Tokunosuke looked at Yuma. "Doumo arigatou, Yuma-kun." He thanked, smiling. He suddenly held a head to his head, slightly woozy. "Ohh… my head." Out of nowhere, he found himself being nearly crushed by Hikaya, who hugged him very tightly.

"Toku-kun! Oh, you're all right!" She cried, tears rolling down her face as she cried into his shoulders. Blushing madly, as he had no experience in these situations, Tokunosuke did what instinct told him to do and wrapped his arms around her awkwardly, hoping it would work. Apparently it did, as he felt the blond girl slowly relax in his arms. Yuma and Kotori smiled at the scene, Kotori grabbing Yuma's hand.

The shadowed boy was now directly behind Tokunosuke. "Hate to do this, pal, but that thing's gotta go."

Tokunosuke and Hikaya slowly stood up, the girl refusing to let go. "It's all right, Hikaya-chan. I'm all right now, Ura." The girl slowly pulled her head away to look at him. Seeing the smile back on his face and the darkness gone from his eyes made her relax. She let out a sigh of relief as she let go of him.

"Excuse me!" A voice called to him. Tokunosuke turned around to see someone approaching. It was a boy about 15 years of age. He had streamlined black hair, slightly pale skin, and unreadable purple eyes. He was apparently a student, as he had a standard male's uniform for the school, only he had a black collar and cuffs, and a dark purple tie.

"Guys, who is that?" Yuma asked his friends.

"I don't know. I've never seen him before." Kotori said.

"Lemme check the database for someone like him." Takashi said, pulling out a small computer and typing.

The boy continued looking at Tokunosuke. "You were the one who wielded that dragon, the Number." Tokunosuke was confused, but he nodded. "Hmmm… I see. Please, step forward." He looked at Hikaya. "You, please step back."

"What are you trying to pull?" Tokunosuke accused.

"Please, humor me." The purple-eyed boy said. Tokunosuke and Hikaya were skeptical, but did so, Tokunosuke stepping forward three steps and Hikaya back three steps. The black-haired boy then turned around and walked away from Tokunosuke a few steps before stopping. He held his left hand in front of his chest, causing his hand to glow purple. "Time for the trade… Your Number for pain!" Quickly turning around counter-clockwise, as he swung his hand, a purple blade of energy suddenly formed out of his hand. Before he had even a chance to react, the blade slashed right through Tokunosuke, a slash mark remaining across him. Everyone gasped when they saw the blade go through him, even Astral. It didn't damage his body or anything else, but it sent a huge surge of pain through his body, causing him to scream and fall to his hands and knees, panting heavily, the slash mark vanishing. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"Tokunosuke!" Hikaya cried, rushing back to his side. She glared at the boy. "What did you do to him?"

The boy's face didn't change. "He'll be fine. Nothing of his was damaged. The pain is intense, but it will fade."

Yuma growled in anger, unintentionally squeezing Kotori's hand tightly. Kotori felt his anger through it, looking at him worriedly. Yuma looked like he was about to throttle the boy. **"Yuma! Kotori!"** Astral called to them, making them look at him. **"Look! On the edge of his blade!"** The couple looked at the purple energy stream, and saw something lodged in it. Looking closer, they saw it was Number 55.

"He's got the Number!" Yuma cried.

The boy retracted the blade, causing the card to land in his hand. "Hear me, everyone. This won't be our last meeting. I give you this warning: Beware the Number Distributor."

"**Number… Distributor?"** Astral mused.

"My name is Yamoto, a Number Hunter. Do not forget me. Farewell." The boy said before he reformed his blade and slashed the air, causing a rip in space. Yamoto walked through the rip before it sealed back up.

"Another Number Hunter… Yamoto…" Kotori breathed.

"Number Distributor…" Yuma breathed.

Tokunosuke groaned. "At least he did something good, Ura…" He managed to get out.

Then he passed out.

* * *

><p>Author-Made Cards<p>

Underground Dragon  
>Level 4 EARTH Dragon<br>ATK:1800/DEF:0  
>FLIP: Destroy 1 monster and 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls.<p>

Pyubyu Dragon  
>Level 4 WIND Dragon<br>ATK:1200/DEF:300  
>If you control a Level 4 or below monster, you can Normal Summon this card from your hand in addition to your Normal Summon or Set this turn.<p>

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><p><strong>Vile: NOW things are getting interesting. A third Number Hunter has entered, and we now know who that man is. But things aren't fully developed yet.<strong>

**Takashi: Is Tokunosuke gonna be all right?**

**Vile: Yamoto said he would, and he's the one who slashed him. I think he'll be fine.**

**Yuma: *slight glare of disbelief***

**Vile: All right, all right. Jeez. I'll clear things up next chapter. Leave some reviews and I'll get back to you guys! The last chapter should be easy! See ya!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Vile: Well, we've hit the last chapter of this Numbershot. Took me longer than I thought to finish this.**

**Hikaya: Well, at least you made it!**

**Vile: Yeah, I suppose so. For all you fluff fans, you'll like this chapter!**

**Tokunosuke: *blushes***

**Yuma: *grins***

**Vile: Disclaimer's on the first page. Enjoy, everyone!**

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><p>Numbershot 55: Double-Sided<p>

Chapter 6

A few days had passed since Yamoto's encounter. There was no record of anyone named Yamoto in the school's database, so he was no student; his outfit must've been just a coincidence. Tokunosuke was out cold for a few hours after he was slashed, but eventually he woke up. When he did, he found that the pain from the blade slash had fully passed, just as Yamoto said, and no damages had occurred to his bodily systems. In effect, Yamoto had done more good than harm.

For the next hour, though, Hikaya was not willing to leave his side, wanting to make sure he was fully okay. Tokunosuke finally managed to convince her that he was completely fine… at least, after Yuma and Takashi attempted to pry her off him a couple times. Once Hikaya was fully sure that Tokunosuke was fine, she made a surprising request: to join the Numbers Club. Because she was now a friend of theirs, and because Tokunosuke supported it, Kotori and the others were more than happy to let her join.

Even so, the nagging feeling that Tokunosuke had ever since he and Hikaya had begun hanging out together wouldn't leave him alone. He still believed she was hiding something, but he just couldn't pinpoint what it was. He began to wonder if it was just the mystique of girls he had heard about.

Hikaya, on the other hand, knew Tokunosuke was still trying to scrutinize her and figure her out. She knew he would find out eventually. Seeing Yuma and Kotori walk with their hands clasped brought her to a decision: if he was going to find out her secret, he would find out from her. And he would find out very soon.

At the present time, Tokunosuke was on his way back home after school, not bothering to duck and dodge his way this time, when a voice called out. "Toku-kun!" He knew that voice easily now. He turned around with a smile to see Hikaya running up to him. One look at her, though, told him she had something on her mind.

"What's up, Hikaya-chan, Ura?" Tokunosuke asked her. Hikaya merely made a "follow me" motion with her finger before walking off. Confused, the bespectacled boy could only follow the girl to wherever she was going. The two continued to walk until they reached Kodoa's Card Shop. Entering the store, the two greeted Hikaya's father before Hikaya walked toward the door to the store back. Tokunosuke stopped, remembering that he wasn't allowed back there.

"It's all right, Toku-kun. Come on." She told him, smiling. Tokunosuke looked at Mr. Kodoa for confirmation, who nodded, before following the blond girl, the door closing behind them. The boy was still confused as to what the heck he was doing back there, but the girl next to him was about to answer that question. "Toku-kun?"

"Hmm?"

Hikaya turned back around to face him. "Remember when you said you 'knew' I was hiding something?" She used air quotes around "knew."

"Uh… yeah? What about it, Ura?" Tokunosuke asked.

"Well, to be honest… you were right. I have been hiding something." She confessed, a blush spreading over her face, but she giggled. Although he half-expected such a confession, the giggle completely threw Tokunosuke off. What the heck was she giggling over? Before he could even think about the overall situation, the blond girl whipped forward and placed a small kiss on his lips. It barely lasted a second, but it was enough to make Tokunosuke's whole face to go red. Hikaya's face was as red as his as well. "My secret is that I like you, Toku-kun. A lot."

Tokunosuke could not even think of a reply. All he could muster was "Ehehehe…" with a goofy grin on his face. Giggling, Hikaya leaned in and kissed him again, this time leaving her lips on his for a while. This startled Tokunosuke enough to make him topple over backwards. Hikaya thought he was nervous and pushed towards him, effectively making both of them fall over with a yelp. The girl landed on top of the boy as they landed with a "THUD," a stray movement from Hikaya's arm knocking Tokunosuke's glasses from his face. The two short kids groaned before making eye contact. Hikaya blushed even more upon seeing Tokunosuke's eyes unobstructed by his glasses, taking in the blue color that nobody could really see with them on. Without thinking, she kissed him again, and this time Tokunosuke returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her as she did the same. The two of them kissed for about 30 seconds to a minute, Hikaya letting out a few soft moans as the kiss continued. Tokunosuke might've wondered if he liked her before, but now he knew that he liked her. After a while, the two broke apart panting, Tokunosuke sitting up with Hikaya in his arms. The two looked at each other while panting, then laughed a little.

"You know something, Hikaya-chan? We hid the same secret, Ura." Tokunosuke said. "I like you too." Hikaya giggled and kissed him again on the cheek.

"Hikaya! Tokunosuke! Are you two all right?" Mr. Kodoa called from the store's front.

Hikaya and Tokunosuke quickly got to their feet. "We're fine, Tou-san!" Hikaya called back. Then she looked back to the boy. "See you tomorrow, Toku-kun. Remember, you're always welcome at the shop." Tokunosuke smiled and retrieved his glasses from the floor before heading through the door. Hikaya blew him a kiss as he left.

Mr. Kodoa noticed Tokunosuke come out alone. "Tokunosuke? Is everything all right?"

"Huh? Yeah, sir. Why you ask, Ura?" Tokunosuke asked. "Hikaya just decided to take care of something in the back."

"That's not why I asked. You aren't wearing your glasses for some reason."

Tokunosuke was startled. He must've still been out of it from kissing Hikaya that he forgot to put his specs back on. He laughed nervously with a small blush and put them back on his face. "A-Arigatou, Kodoa-sama. Bye for now, Ura." He said as he left the store.

Mr. Kodoa smiled warmly after Tokunosuke left, and looked at the back door. _'You're growing up, Hikaya.'_

Tokunosuke wasn't far away from the card shop when he flashed back to his kissing. All of a sudden, a surge of joy went through him. He shut his eyes as a wide grin overtook his face. "Yatta, Ura!" He screamed as he jumped into the air. After landing, he ran home laughing from the joy of having a new girlfriend.

A figure watched from off to the side: Yamoto. "I'm glad things worked out all right for you." He mused, holding up Number 55: Doruragon. "Especially now that this is out of your system." The purple-eyed Hunter returned the card to his holder before walking off with a small smile.

However, Yamoto himself was being watched. "I'll eventually deal with you… Number Hunter." The figure said with malice.

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><p><strong>Vile: And so, the first of many Numbershots draws to a close.<strong>

**Hikaya: *blushing, but happy* I loved that ending!**

**Tokunosuke: *grinning like a fool***

**Vile: *grins* Oh, before I forget, I'm taking requests for Numbershots if anyone has any ideas! I'm also planning on a separate collection of Duelshots, none of which will have Numbers. Requests are accepted for that, too. But I may not get to another ZEXAL fic soon, as I will be starting a 5D's fic that I had thought up some time ago. My attention will mostly be on it, but I will try to keep ZEXAL fics coming.**

**Yuma: 5D's? Sweet! Knowing you, you can bring Yusei and everyone to even higher glory!**

**Vile: Ehehe... thanks Yuma. Anyone who liked 5D's should check it out once I start it. I'll be taking requests for that as well! But anyway, leave some reviews for this and tell me whatcha think! See ya later!**

**Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.**


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